Plant species responses to cattle grazing in mesic semi-natural grassland

Abstract

Cattle grazing is generally recommended for management of semi-natural grassland, but its effects on flora are insufficiently studied in northern Europe. Plant species responses to cattle grazing of mesic semi-natural grasslands were studied in SW Finland managed by private farmers under three kinds of management: old (continuously grazed, n = 10), restored new (grazing restarted 3–8 years ago, n = 10) and abandoned pastures (grazing ceased >10 years ago, n = 11). Positive effects of cattle grazing were observed on most grassland plants, 34 species being significantly more frequent in grazed than in abandoned grassland and four in abandoned than in grazed grassland. The frequencies of most species in restored new pastures were between those observed in old and in abandoned pastures. Changes in species number with different Ellenberg indicator values showed that grazing increased the number of species indicating nitrogen-poor soils, high light intensity and low soil moisture, but decreased species indicating nitrogen-rich soils. Grazing was beneficial to indicator species of both high and low pH. Species numbers in new pastures were consistently between those of old and abandoned pastures. Based on Ellenberg indicator values, restored grazing changed species assemblages towards that of old pastures. Many grassland species seem to recover under grazing regimes applied by private farmers, but insufficient management quality may prevent full success of restoration. # 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.